


Sacrifice

by Mareel



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Chess, Episode Related, Episode: s02e19 Judgment, Episode: s03e18 Azati Prime, Established Relationship, Future Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-05
Updated: 2013-02-05
Packaged: 2017-11-28 06:35:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/671407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mareel/pseuds/Mareel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Playing to win.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in the future, post Season 4, during the Romulan War. It makes reference to events of the episodes _Judgment_ and _Azati Prime_. In the latter, Jonathan chose to infiltrate a Xindi stronghold alone in search of information about the weapon under construction. It also refers to [Win or Lose](http://archiveofourown.org/works/604306), but stands alone. 
> 
> Written for the prompts 'chess' and 'before the battle', this is from Jonathan's POV. He and Malcolm have a longstanding established relationship.

 

“Knight to KB5… knight takes pawn. Mate in three moves.” Malcolm smiles as he announces this shattering of my defensive position, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “That was too easy… you’re distracted tonight. You should have forced me to take your rook for the stalemate.”

I nod, conceding. “Did I ever tell you I played chess with Kolos in Rura Penthe?” 

“Klingons play chess? Interesting. I hope you won!”

“Against a Klingon lawyer? I’m afraid not. He figured out my strategy almost as quickly as you do.”

Malcolm’s silence means he knows there is more. 

“He told me I wouldn’t make strategic sacrifices. And I won’t… especially if the most I could hope for from the move would be a stalemate.”

“Are you still talking about chess, Jonathan?”

“I was thinking about Azati Prime.”

“That was too risky a move. The king has to survive in order to win the game.”

“To win the battle, but not to win the war.”

Malcolm shakes his head, a warning in his eyes. “A new rule about tactics then – self-sacrifice isn’t the answer.”

I take his hand, locking our fingers together. “I’ll try to remember that when we engage the Romulans tomorrow.”

 


End file.
